It was reported in the newspaper in 1924 that one fire brigade had been established at Corrimal and one at Balgownie. The site of the first shed that housed the brigade in Corrimal was the location where the Princess Theatre was later built.

Captain Tom Sunderland was in charge from 1924 and he was still there in 1951. It is not known where the first Balgownie brigade was established although Captain C Tucker was in charge in 1924. In fact, the Tucker men, father and son, have had a long association with the Balgownie brigade.

At the meeting of the North Illawarra Council on Wednesday, March 6, 1929, a motion was carried regarding the failure of the fire commissioners to erect proper fire stations at Corrimal and Balgownie. The mayor stated he felt the board had put one over them after the commissioners had asked the council to impose a "fire rate" in the yearly rate notices to provide for the long promised fire stations which had not yet been built.

Pressure from the council must have hastened the commissioners to go ahead with the building of the two stations as it was reported in May 1929 that two tenders had been accepted, that of W J Williams of Thirroul for the sum of £1,166.10.0 to build the Corrimal station next to the catholic cemetery on the Princes Highway and the tender of Mr A Howarth of West Maitland for the sum of £577 to build the Balgownie station. By August 1929 the council accepted the tender of C Angelo for the laying of the driveway for the Balgownie station.

The official opening of both Corrimal and Balgownie fire stations was to take place on Saturday, November 23, 1929, by Fire Commissioner Smith. The fire commissioner, travelling from Robertson to open the buildings, was running half an hour late for the ceremonies after experiencing two punctures coming down Macquarie Pass.

As neither of these events had been advertised the only persons present were the firemen and a few members of the public. There is no information which station was opened first - only a report on the Balgownie Station was ever printed. After the introductions at Balgownie - which did not take long, the Mayor of North Illawarra, Alderman Murray called upon Mr Smith to officially open the Balgownie Fire Station. Mr Smith spoke of how fortunate Balgownie was to have such a good type of building erected as a fire station. He said many towns would be pleased to have such a building and that the board had great faith in the future of the district.

The new station at Balgownie consisted of only three rooms - a garage for fire fighting equipment and a handcart, a recreation room and an office.

That same day the mayor sought from the commissioner funds for a motorised hose carrier as he considered the firemen would not get very far with the present hand operated equipment.

One of the first fires attended by the brigade was an old house owned by Frank Caldwell in Russell Street, Balgownie. The house was occupied at the time by a Mr Roberts who had a primus stove alight when a curtain blew against the flame, which started the blaze totally destroying the property.

When the mayor made a request for a motorised hose carrier on the day of the opening it only took eight years for the unit to be delivered to Balgownie.

One of the first fire brigade vehicles was an old truck with a large water tank on the top. On one occasion the truck turned over on the Princes Highway while it exited Balgownie Road. This would have occurred in the 1950s.

The old fire station has now been gone for more than 40 years after it was replaced opposite by a newer station in 1971.

The original fire station was located in Balgownie Road between Mrs Forster's small cottage on the corner of Napier Street and the original Mt Pleasant Sports and Social Club building (now Collegians).

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM.  Call 0409 832 854 or email  sycado6@bigpond.net.au